Archive for the ‘medals’ Category

BEIJING – China‘s sports authority is lowering medal expectations and offering counseling for athletes as pressure mounts on the hosts to succeed at Olympic Games in August

Security guards stand in line during a regular practice session in front of the National Olympic Stadium, also known as the Bird’s Nest, in Beijing, in this November 27, 2007 file photo. Alfred Cheng Jin (CHINA)

Deputy Sports Minister Cui Dalin acknowledged that the Chinese public holds high hopes for the country’s athletes to top the medal tallies in Beijing. On Wednesday, he offered a long list of reasons why that likely won’t happen.